Reflection and Adult Learning

Video Transcription

In this tutorial, we'll explore the important role that reflection plays in adult learning. We'll begin by looking at critical thinking as a lens through which we can reflect. And then we'll explore Brookfield's for lenses for reflection. Finally, we'll examine the self-reflection continuum. Let's get started.

Let's begin by discussing the idea of critical thinking. We know that when teachers are engaging in professional development and growth opportunities, that cycle of critical thinking leading to critical reflection and action, is a necessary process in that continuum of learning and reflection. Not only can critical thinking lead to critical reflection, but the reverse is true also. That element of critical reflection can then lead to more critical thinking about your teaching practice. And so this critical reflection piece really is a foundation of teacher growth and development in our learning processes.

The most prominent adult educator who writes about this critical thinking idea is Brookfield. In 2012, he stated that, "Critical thinking is an important lens to analyze one's learning environments and teaching." He said that, "Learning happens through critical thinking and critical reflection." He's saying here that the key component of critical thinking and critical reflection is not just the act of thinking or reflection, but it's using the insights that you're gleaning from that process to then take some action.

Recall that critical reflection was a key component of transformational learning theory. That ability for the learner to self-reflect is really what enables teachers to grow from their professional learning experiences, and even to take action as a result of those experiences. Brookfield states that the goal of a critically reflective teacher will be to improve that teacher's own understanding and awareness of their teaching by looking at their instruction from a variety of different perspectives. So Brookfield asserts that teachers actually apply four different lenses to our process of critical reflection.

The first of these is simple self-reflection, or the autobiographical lens. Next is student review, or looking at the situation through students' eyes. The third lens is peer review, or taking into account our colleagues' experiences. And the fourth lens is benchmarking, or using theoretical literature.

Brookfield asserts that good teachers are probably using the first two lenses for their reflection. But he says that excellent teachers will not only look through the first and second lenses, but they will also include elements of peer review in their self-reflection. They'll turn to their peers for feedback and advice and mentoring by reflecting through that third lens. Incorporating the fourth lens of instruction-- benchmarking or theoretical literature-- puts more of a focus on the scholarly literature and the educational theory, which not only can help us to grow and strengthen our vocabulary, which we can use to describe our teaching and explain our teaching practice, but it also just helps to make sure that we really are reflecting using the whole picture.

So being a reflective teacher can help us to grow and develop in our own learning and we can also influence the learning of others through this process. Self-efficacy is an important part of this development and growth for teachers. So let's take a closer look at this idea of the continuum of self-reflection.

Reflective learning can be considered as the process of stepping back from an experience to ponder carefully and persistently its meaning in order to reflect on the learning that is occurring. The skill of self-reflection is especially important to teachers because it can help us in the growth and in the development process of teacher learning. Teachers generally progress through four different developmental stages in the process of self-reflection. These stages can be considered states of mind, or levels of self-awareness, or as phases in the self-reflective process.

The first stage is the unaware stage. Teachers who are in this first stage don't even stop to realize that their classroom and their instruction could be any different from their current state. Teachers in this stage simply have a limited understanding of the role that they are playing in their students' learning. And they also have a limited awareness of research-supported instructional practices.

So we want to, first of all, progress from this unaware stage to the second stage, called the conscious stage. Teachers who are in the conscious stage have a higher level of awareness of what they should be doing in order to benefit their students. Teachers in this stage are aware of best practices surrounding instruction. But this may or may not be actually reflected in the classroom instruction that they're practicing. For example, they might think that they should give a try to a new strategy, but they may, in the end, revert back to doing what is easiest for them or what is most convenient or what they are most familiar with instead of choosing the option that is going to be best for their students and their student learning.

So progressing through these stages, the third stage of self-reflection would be the action stage. Teachers who are in this stage do actively want to make a change. They will begin that process of integrating their knowledge within their classroom instruction with a level of consistency.

So these teachers have begun to accept responsibility for the success of the students in their classroom. They recognize the students' individual needs. One area that may be lacking for teachers in the action stage is just the vast amount of knowledge that is necessary to address all of those different needs. But teachers in this action stage are open-minded and they're willing to accept feedback on their instructional practices. And this leads us, then, into the fourth stage here in the self-reflection process.

This is the refinement stage. Teachers in the refinement stage really are empowering their students to take ownership of their own learning. These teachers are willing to work as facilitators of learning instead of just being the sage on the stage. They're willing to move to that role of the guide on the side.

Teachers in the refinement stage do understand that the reflection process is a continuum. And as part of our professional development and growth process as teachers, this continuum needs to be sustained indefinitely throughout our teaching careers.

In this tutorial, we began simply by discussing the idea of critical thinking. Then we examined Brookfield's four lenses for critical reflection. And finally, we examined the self-reflection continuum.

So here's a chance for you to stop and reflect. Where do you think you currently are on that self-reflection continuum? As a result of the professional development and growth that you are engaging in right now, can you see yourself moving to the next stage on that continuum?

For more information on how to apply what you learned in this video, please view the Additional Resources section that accompanies this video presentation. The Additional Resources section includes hyperlinks useful for applications of the course material, including a brief description of each resource. Thanks for joining me today. Have a great day.